Space travel has traditionally utilized vertical takeoffs to send a vehicle to orbit. Vertical takeoff vehicles utilize a controlled explosion to produce enough thrust to overcome the inertia of the motionless vehicle, which generally weighs millions of pounds including fuel and cargo. The stress generated by such vertical liftoffs is tremendous. Such stresses can limit the re-usability of components, and can lead to failure of components during flight. Historically, vertical takeoff vehicles have not been able to achieve the same level of safety and reliability rates as found with commercial jet aviation. Moreover, even reusable shuttlecraft utilize booster rockets, which are expensive and present retrieval or disposal difficulties after being jettisoned.
It is desired to provide safe, reliable and cost-effective access to space. Thus, the present invention provides a single-stage-to-orbit engine system that can be used with a vehicle suitable for horizontal takeoffs and horizontal landings.